I had a fantastic time playing at the Hutton on April 20, 2019. It was a rainy day, but the sun cleared in time for a clear evening and a nice crowd. I played two hours – a mix of covers and originals, including some new ones that I tried on for size and will likely bring to future gigs.
I’m excited to return to the Hutton to play solo acoustic on Saturday. Expect great food, excellent cocktails, and plenty of vocal and guitar looping as I play two sets of originals and covers. Can’t wait. Hope you can join me!
Saturday, April 20th Solo Acoustic The Hutton 225 Hutton St. Jersey City, NJ 07307 10pm
Just in time for the deadline, I recorded and submitted my entry for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest 2019. Recorded live at my home, here’s a performance of my original song, “Knocking Down My Front Door.” If the video does not embed below, here’s a direct link to watch it on YouTube. https://youtu.be/5AVC9huNZiA
Today, I’m releasing a brand new cover song – “Latch” by Disclosure (featuring Sam Smith).
I tried to reimagine this club hit from Disclosure as something you might enjoy on your favorite acoustic playlist in your living room. A pop song, in its power and simplicity, can often have potential to be interpreted in many different genres. Yet, so often we only get to hear the one version. With this interpretation, I wanted to stretch the song to a place that sounds familiar but feels like something new. Without the bass thumping, there’s a tenderness and a vulnerability to the song. In this version, you’re in on the secret – it’s a love song. Someone so consumed by love that they want to latch onto it and never let it go.
The cover image comes from an photo I captured on Lover’s Bridge in Prague. There were so many locks attached to this bridge, where people from all over the world would come to “lock in their love.” I thought it was a nice fit.
As for the music, my good pal Ty Tuschen played electric guitar on this, including the tasty lead. I sang and played all of the other instruments.
This single is now available everywhere you can consume music – Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Tidal, iHeart Radio, Pandora, and more.
I’m very excited to have a new collection of my photography featured at the next ARTxSOULNJ show, which kicks off with a big party on Saturday, February 23rd! Come celebrate local art. Everything will be for sale!
Here’s a sneak peek at a few of my framed prints.
Hope to see you on Saturday for the opening of the show!
Saturday, February 23rd ARTXSOUL NJ Gallery Show (Exhibiting Photography) Renaissance Tattoo Studio 15 Grand Ave. Englewood, NJ 07631 9pm
I had a fantastic time with Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors playing for the first time at the Fox and Crow in Jersey City, NJ on Friday, February 15, 2019. This was a great little room to play with such an attentive audience.
Jamie Rose opened the night and rocked it.
Here was the Toll Collectors setlist.
And because the room was so attentive, we decided to play a Crosby, Stills, and Nash cover, “Helplessly Hoping.” It really showed off the vocal harmonies of Christina, Maribyrd, and Jon, who unfortunately got cut from the visuals in video below. I even got to play a little piano. Check out the video below or click on this link to watch it on YouTube – https://youtu.be/u55FXXeptjk.
I hope your new year is off to a good start and I hope you are braving this cold weather in a warm cozy place.
It’s funny, ever since I started working in educational publishing I’ve met people of extraordinary talents and who have an artistic pursuit outside of the day job. Maybe it’s the nature of the jobs in the industry – writers, designers, coders, creators. We are committed to some form of creation all day and then somehow we still have a need to create outside of the confines of the office.
At least once a year, my company likes to celebrate this. We have an Art, Music, and Poetry Expo where we hang artwork, eat, drink, rent a stage, and have a show. Poetry readings, musical performance, dance… it started a couple of years ago and now it’s become a Thing.
So here’s a video of my performance. I played an original and a cover: “Knocking Down My Front Door” and “Happier” by Marshmello and Bastille. Hope you enjoy it!
This Friday, December 14, I’m playing with Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors at one of our staple spots – Finnegan’s Pub in Hoboken, NJ. This is a three hour gig, where you never know what will happen. Rumor has it we have a few holiday tunes prepped and ready to go! Ugly sweaters, too? Who knows!
Friday, December 14th Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors
Finnegan’s
734 Willow Ave.
Hoboken, NJ 07030
10pm-1am
I had a fantastic time playing at the Hutton in Jersey City on Friday, December 7, 2018. Ty Tuschen and I played for two hours straight. It was a great time exploring some new covers and original songs. Looking forward to being back there again soon.
Back in October – which btw feels like yesterday – I played at the Gallery opening of NonLinearKnitting Studios. This is a really terrific spot in Jersey City. I’m excited with what is happening with art and music in this space! Here’s a video of me performing, Howlin’. Enjoy.